Internet access by a client device typically requires a user of a client device (e.g., wired or wireless computer, web-enabled cellphone, personal digital assistant, etc.) to enter into a prescribed fee arrangement with a service provider, and/or satisfy a prescribed set of security parameters. For example, users of client devices can enter into service agreements with service providers (e.g., Internet service providers, cellphone service providers, etc.) based on establishing an account with the service provider. Wireless access (e.g., “Wi-Fi”) to a wide area network (e.g., an intranet or the Internet) by a client device also can require manual configuration of the client device according to wireless settings in a wireless access device providing network access to the wide area network. For example, prescribed security settings within a wireless access point or wireless router at a private site (e.g., a subscriber home or a subscriber's office) can require a client device to be configured to provide required security keys to the wireless access point or wireless router according to a prescribed security protocol, for example the IEEE 802.11 based Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) or Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) or WPA2 wireless security protocols. Network administrators at a public or private site also can require a user to supply an authorized user name and password to gain authorized access to the network.
Network access providers at public venues can offer wired or wireless network access to an intranet or a wide area network such as the Internet (e.g., “Hotspots”) based on a user of the client device registering with the network access provider. Examples of the client device registering with the network access provider can include establishing a new account based on established credit (i.e., a credit account), purchasing a prepaid account, logging in using an authorized user name and password associated with the credit account or prepaid account, or accepting location-based content or advertising as a condition for network access. Such registration can be implemented, for example, based on an access device redirecting all browser requests to a remote server requires authorization of the client device registration.